Bogar to interview for Astros' position

Mon, 09/17/2012 - 11:32pm — Rob Bradford

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- According to multiple major league sources, Red Sox bench coach Tim Bogar will interview for the Houston Astros' managerial opening in the coming days. It is not expected that Bogar will be forced to leave the team, with Astros executives planning to conduct the interview in the Tampa Bay area at some point during the Red Sox' four-game series against the Rays.

Bogar declined comment when asked about the interview.

It will be the second time Bogar has interviewed with the Astros, having been one of the candidates prior to the 2011 season. Houston ultimately hired former Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills, who was let go by the Astros on August 18 after compiling a 39-82 record to start the '12 campaign. The 45-year-old Bogar also interviewed for the Blue Jays managerial position following the '10 season before Toronto hired former Sox pitching coach John Farrell.

The Astros have already interviewed Tampa Bay bench coach Dave Martinez and Nationals third base coach Bo Porter. MLB Network analyst Larry Bowa also confirmed Monday that he was in Houston to interview for the vacant position.

"He's very bright, he understands the game well. He's very good with people, too," said Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon of Bogar, who served as the Rays' quality assurance coach in 2008. "He communicates well. Primarily, with me, the job requires the ability to unify a group or communicate, or develop trust, or however you want to put it. Those are the key ingredients as far as coming on as a first-time manager in a situation like that in Houston, which is very similar to what we went through here in Tampa Bays several years ago.

"From a distance everybody will look at how he runs a game and everything. But the important thing is how is he going to bring a group of people together. Do the philosophies closely align with the front office? Those are the kind of things that matter, especially in that situation. I think Davey is that kind of guy, and I think Bogie is that kind of guy. They have the ability to communicate and set up a program and morph into the managerial component on the field."